Creative Aging: The Importance of Balance
One’s reach should exceed one’s grasp, or what’s a heaven for? —Adapted from Robert Browning.
Eighty-year-old former radio show host Garrison Keillor mentioned in a recent email that he had passed a balance test at Mayo Clinic: He stood on one foot for 10 seconds with his eyes closed.
I tried.
I failed.
I worried.
I began researching fall risk for older adults.
Here is what I learned.
Falls rank second in the general population as a cause of accidental death. In the senior population, falls rank number one. One out of four people 65 and older falls each year. And one out of five of those falls results in serious injury—broken bones or a head injury.
If you have fallen in the past year, your risk of falling in the next year is doubled.
I have fallen in the past year.
I worried even more.
But my research also said balance can be improved. So, I researched balance improvement.
I learned you can improve your balance with simple exercises. Here are two sample exercises I found at www.healthline.com. The Internet has many more exercises available, at varying levels of difficulty.
Rock the boat
-Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
-Lift your left foot and bend your knee at a right angle, bringing your heel toward your bottom. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
-Then do the same with your right foot.
-Repeat each side three times.
Heel-to-toe walk (strengthens your legs and improves balance)
-Stand with your heels touching the wall.
-Place your left foot in front of your right foot, touching your left heel to your right toes.
-Then place your right foot in front of your left foot, touching your right heel to your left toes.
-Continue stepping forward for 20 steps.
Some tips for doing the exercises are to maintain good posture, focus your gaze on a fixed point straight ahead, and bend your knees slightly to avoid hyper-extending them. Conduct the exercises adjacent to a counter or sturdy chair so you can catch your balance if you start to tip.
On-line sources also advised me to contact my health-care provider if I had any ailments that might be contributing to fall risk: dizziness, blackouts, memory loss, or vision or hearing problems. Medications that can contribute to balance difficulties include some antidepressants, sedatives, and sleep aids.
I also learned my body is not the only factor contributing to fall risk. My house conditions might be doing it as well. Advice for a creating a safer home environment includes the following:
-Clean up clutter and remove other tripping hazards, such as loose carpet or slippery throw rugs.
-Make sure your home is well lit, especially your stairways.
-Use non-slip mats in showers and bathtubs. (We learned this one from experience, and installed mats after my husband slipped and fell in our shower.)
-Use a sturdy step stool, not a chair, to reach high places. Even better, store frequently used items lower so you don’t need a step stool at all.
If your balance and mobility are limited, it’s important to use devices such as a cane or walker. The following devices for your home might be helpful as well: handrails on both sides of stairways, a raised toilet seat or one with armrests, grab bars for the shower or tub—or even a sturdy plastic seat so that you can shower while seated. In this case a hand-held shower nozzle is also important.
Some of these items might require a financial investment, but the money will be well spent. Consider it an investment in your independence.
I still can’t match Garrison Keillor’s feat of standing on one foot for ten seconds with my eyes closed. But I did find a balance standard that was comforting. In your 50s you should be able to stand on one foot (with your eyes open) for 40 seconds. In your 60s, you should be able to do it for 20 seconds, and in your 70s for 10 seconds.
That standard I can meet—and even exceed.
Someday, if I exercise faithfully, maybe, just maybe, I will be able balance on one foot for 10 seconds with my eyes closed. *
Adapted from Creative Aging by Carol Van Klompenburg, published 2023, available from Amazon and for Pella-area residents directly from Carol. Carol has an MA in theater arts and is available for reading performances of her writing on aging, moments in her gardens, and other topics.
*Article checked for accuracy by Troy Vander Molen, PT DPT, Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy.